Under Angus Taylor’s stewardship, the Coalition government has provided a template for this new approach with an announcement on vaping. This new commitment aims to prevent young Australians from taking up vaping. In a recent visit to Afternoon Briefing, Taylor shared the vision behind the plan. He stressed that this initiative is a continuation of long-established efforts to try to control the vaping market, not a new policy. The federal government’s goal is to tackle organized crime and the black market while establishing a legal, regulated industry.
The proposed policy introduces a tax of $1 per millilitre on vapes. Taylor is confident that this tax will be the best deterrent to youth from using the vape. He stated that the higher price would make vapes less appealing to young people, reinforcing the government’s stance that “vaping is not something we want young people adopting.” The Coalition’s plan would add about $3.6 billion to the budget over four years.
Addressing Youth Vaping Concerns
Angus Taylor hailed the move as a way to bring order to Australia’s vaping market and safeguard young Australians from the health effects. It would ensure vaping isn’t normalized. Speaking in favor of the Coalition’s proposal, Above the Noise’s Jackson pointed out that it wouldn’t normalize vaping.
“We want to make sure people think very hard before they do it.” – Angus Taylor
He further underscored that current criminal enterprises are levying a significant underground tax on Australians. This new tax is generated by the sale of illicit vaping products. The new policy aims to address this challenge by reinvesting organized crime’s revenue from the government.
To further these objectives, the Coalition intends to provide all but pharmacies the right to legally sell vapes. At the same time, this move is intended to protect consumers on the industry’s behalf by making sure the market behaves and is regulated effectively.
Financial Implications of the Policy
The cost of the Coalition’s vape ban was more than $160 million. The opponents project that this proposal will increase national budgets by a stunning $3.6 billion. They plan on this being a recurring contribution for the next four years. This makes it one of the biggest strategic funding proposals ever brought forward by the Coalition.
Taylor described the proposed tax as part of a broader strategy to manage public health and reduce the impact of vaping on young Australians. He stated, “We would rather have a properly regulated sector with a tax on it from the government which benefits taxpayers.”
In June of last year, the federal and Green party joined forces to ban flavored vaping products. They moved quickly to develop the policy and get it passed through parliament. The proposal as a whole seeks to build on those early successes by responding to public health issues and the threat of organized crime.
Community Support and Regulation
Support for the Coalition’s plan goes well beyond members of the Coalition, with the likes of former cabinet minister Anne Ruston calling for ironclad regulations. Ruston was sure that tough and common-sense policies like these can help keep our kids from the dangerous effects of vaping. In addition to improving public safety, these regulations will protect our community from the influence of organized crime.
This response from the government balances the intent to protect youth with consideration for the fiscal impact of uncontrolled, black-market vapes.
